Photography is mentioned in very few Canadian laws. Where it is mentioned, it is usually referenced as “negatives” or “photographic plates”, technologies which are now rather dated. There are lots of other laws, which do apply to photography, even if they don’t mention it by name, sometimes in interesting ways.
In the following sections, I take a look at the laws and how they apply to photography in Canada. This guide has been maintained and updated with new information that I’ve found, and that others have sent me for several years now, however, it is still incomplete. Although I do provide quotes from the actual laws, the vast majority of the information here is my interpretation. I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. For more information, see the Disclaimer.
There are two major categories:
- Overview - An easy-to-understand, point-form interpretation of the laws. A good starting place.
- The Laws - By location, this has a section for each law, and what it means for photography.
Additionally, there is also supporting information:
- Printable Laws Pamphlet - A printable PDF based on some of the more important laws on this site.
- Disclaimer and Revision History - Even more legal stuff, as well as the history of updates.